Militant group Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) in Pakistan’s Khyber agency has asked residents to enrol at least one of their sons to madrassas run by LI or pay large fines. Zofeen T. Ebrahim reports
Pakistan: “The end of pluralism and choice”
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CATEGORY: Religion and Culture
Trigger warnings: A sad lack of faith in the power of art
The message and tone of the “trigger warning” suggests a sad lack of faith in the power of art, and, by extension, humanity. We’re capable of better, writes Padraig Reidy
Undermining progress: Digital surveillance and the Tunisian constitution
The recent creation of Tunisia’s Technical Telecommunication Agency threatens to undermine progress the country has made — all in the service of digital surveillance. Nicholas Williams writes
FIFA World Cup: Brazilian press exchanges autonomy for sponsorships
Simone Marques reports from Brazil on sports sponsorships and the coverage of the World Cup
South Africa: From glory to uncomfortable glare
Olympic glory has melted in the glare of media attention shining a spotlight two athlete’s most intimate moments. Firdose Moonda reports
Russia: Vladimir Putin and the rise of swearbots
In an attempt to police Russia’s ocean of foul language, enter the swearbot, a computer programme forecast to go live this autumn, enforcing laws passed last spring. It should automate the rooting out blasphemous Russians, Alastair Sloan reports
India: Religious electioneering damages secular fabric
India’s elections have been awash in campaigning that appeal to voters in religion or by instigating polarisation among different religious and ethnic communities. Saurav Datta reports
South African band that wrote song about Mugabe denied entry to Zimbabwe
Freshlyground were turned away at Harare International Airport just hours before they were set to play at the closing night of a festival in the capital, Firdose Moonda reports
Boko Haram: “If it can happen in Nigeria, it can happen here in Pakistan”
More than three weeks after the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from the northern Nigerian town of Chibok by Boko Haram (BH), an Islamist militant group, the world is finally awake to the tragedy. Zofeen Ebrahim reports
Meltem Arikan: Creating life with the tools of death
Creating life with the tools of death, in the middle of a war, in a place where everyday children, women and men of all ages are being killed mercilessly.